What started as the dubious drug bust of a beloved, elderly Mill Valley
merchant -- a case that rattled many in this bucolic burb -- is morphing into
a clash about vegetarian rights. Dave McDonald, 70, of Mill Valley, has been
a vegetarian for 42 years. But when he was jailed recently for 99 days on
drug-related charges (most of which were later dropped), Mr. McDonald was
denied vegetarian meals.

He refused to eat anything that he did not know was animal-free, and as a
result, his weight plummeted nearly 50 pounds to 155.

--I don't want animal corpses on my plate,' said Mr. McDonald, who is now
free on bail. 'My belief in not hurting animals is more powerful than any
religious belief.'

Had Mr. McDonald said he was a vegetarian for religious reasons, or
because of a medical condition, the county would have been legally required
to comply. But Marin County officials said that simply believing in the
sanctity of animal life was not enough.

Ingrid Newkirk, president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals,
called what happened to Mr. McDonald 'cruel and unusual punishment,' -- and
animal rights advocates are now positioned to wage war on his behalf.